Stellar Alchemy
The Celestial Origin of Atoms
Published on 11. January 2007
978-0-511-07544-5 (ISBN)
Description
Why do the stars shine? What messages can we read in the light they send to us from the depths of the night? Nuclear astrophysics is a fascinating discipline, and enables connections to be made between atoms, stars, and human beings. Through modern astronomy, scientists have managed to unravel the full history of the chemical elements, and understand how they originated and evolved into all the elements that compose our surroundings today. The transformation of metals into gold, something once dreamed of by alchemists, is a process commonly occurring in the cores of massive stars. But the most exciting revelation is the intimate connection that humanity itself has with the debris of exploded stars. This engaging account of nucleosynthesis in stars, and the associated chemical evolution of the Universe, is suitable for the general reader.
Reviews / Votes
'... very well suited for all amateurs of astronomy and the general reader ...'. Orion '... Casse's interesting story about the relations between the stars and humans, and his joy in the subject, carry the reader along on a pleasant journey.' Nature 'This book is full of fascinating facts.' Astronomy & Space MagazineMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cambridge University Press
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
7 Tables, unspecified; 13 Halftones, unspecified; 31 Line drawings, unspecified
File size
3,19 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-511-07544-5 (9780511075445)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
08/2003
Cambridge University Press
€58.19
Article exhausted; check different version
Persons
Michel Casse is an astrophysicist at the Service d'Astrophysique in Saclay, France, and an associate research scientist at the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris. He has published several other popular physics books in French.
Content
Preface; 1. Nuclear astrophysics: defence and illustration; 2. Light from atoms, light from the sky; 3. Visions; 4. Contents of the sky: atomic sources and fountains; 5. Nuclear suns; 6. Sociology of stars and clouds; 7. Histories; 8. Ancient stars in the galactic halo; 9. Conclusion; Appendices.
